[2] Following significant population growth, largely associated with the potteries, the area became a municipal borough with the second town hall as its headquarters in 1857.

[3][a] The current structure in Albion Square, which was commissioned as a hotel, was built on the site of a private residence known as Bank House which dated back to the 18th century.

[4] The new building was designed by Robert Scrivener in the Renaissance style, built in red brick with stone dressings at a cost of £20,000 and was officially opened as the Queen's Hotel on 31 December 1869.

[7] Meanwhile, the borough council needed more space and decided to purchase the hotel in 1884: the building was converted for municipal use to a design by the borough surveyor, Joseph Lobley, and re-opened as a town hall with a council chamber, some municipal offices, and a series of courtrooms in 1886.

[8] Following the loss of the ocean liner, RMS Titanic, in April 1912, a plaque was unveiled in the town hall to commemorate the life of Captain Edward Smith who had been born in the town: it noted that "Captain Smith having done all man could do for the safety of passengers and crew, remained at his post on the sinking ship until the end".